Raylynx's POV

That evening, Maudrick and the others made a commotion just outside the boundaries of Fenrir's camp. When the tents were empty, I snuck inside Fenrir's tent and emptied the phial into what looked like his water bottle. Maudrick's group scattered into hiding as soon as Fenrir's group arrived, so no actual confrontation happened.

Just before midnight, however, we were the ones on guard. Fenrir's group was set to attack a village at the foot of the mountains. Both Maudrick and Fenrir's group had witnessed this village sheltering Muggle-borns from other Snatcher groups or from Death Eaters.

It was a clouded night, so we were able to take cover in the trees without being spotted. As soon as the real Snatchers began to sneak out of the woods, we jumped out in front of them.

"What in hell? Are you all Snatchers too?" one of the men asked.

"If you are, move out! This is our loot!" another one of them said.

"No," Fenrir snarled, stepping forward. "I recognize you," he said, and spat at Maudrick. "Don't think I haven't heard of your little group- the rogue Snatchers group that secretly defends Muggle-borns."

"But you're out of luck," Fenrir said menacingly. At that moment, the full moon revealed itself from behind the clouds. Fenrir shivered and growled. Then, his limbs began to lengthen and his head morphed into that of a wolf's, his ears growing upwards and his mouth forming a snout. Behind me, I heard Madison gasp in shock. Even Fenrir's men looked wary.

Fenrir transformed fully and let out a long howl before dropping onto all fours. I could immediately tell that he was different from Remus. Fenrir was lean, but strong and vicious, and his glaring werewolf eyes showed not only unrestrained murderous intent, but cunning.

Zayne stepped in front of me, but I grabbed his arm and peered over him. I wanted to see if the potion affected him. Fenrir's tail flickered uncomfortably. He blinked slowly and then howled again, but uncertainly.

"Fenrir!" I called out. His head snapped over to me.

"Can you… understand me?" I asked. He growled and snapped his snout aggressively.

"You can, can't you?" I said, my voice gaining confidence. "Your mind hasn't transformed!"

Fenrir howled angrily. Then, he abruptly leapt towards us. Zayne and I dropped immediately and Fenrir flew over us. The others readied their wands, but Fenrir took off into the woods, howling in frustration.

"It worked!" I said, breathless as I sat up. Then, spells shot out from both sides. Zayne grabbed me and pulled me up, yelling out a Shield Spell.

"It's a bit too early to celebrate!" he cried aloud.


The next morning, I exited the tent I shared with Athena and Madison and found Maudrick at the edge of the camp, patrolling. As I approached him, he addressed me without turning around. "You're leaving."

"Yes," I said.

"A werewolf transformation prevention potion. Quite an accomplishment." Maudrick turned around to me. "Are you planning on making a name for yourself?"

"No."

"Then what is it you plan to do?"

"I'm not sure. There are things that must be found, but I haven't a clue where to begin."

Maudrick's face softened and he reached out and ruffled my hair. "You can do it. Whatever it is you put your mind to, I believe in you."

"Thank you," I replied. "It's good to know you're alive, Professor. It makes the world a little warmer, slightly more familiar."

"I'm a survivor," he said. "I'll be here, any time you need me. You just have to ask."

I found Zayne, Jesse, and Riley talking together as they ate breakfast. I sat beside them. Riley shifted a little, wary of me.

"Want some food?" Zayne offered me.

I shook my head. "I'm leaving now."

"What?" Zayne said. "That's so sudden."

"Sorry," I said, a little ashamed. "But I'm thankful to have seen all of you. And knowing the work you all are doing, it makes me feel a little more hopeful."

"Here," I turned to Riley and handed him a small vial with glimmering liquid. "It's a healing potion with magnificent purifying properties. That should heal the wound on your wrist once and for all."

"I'm sorry I hurt you," I said to him sincerely. "And I know my apology is long overdue. But we're friends, aren't we? Ever since Hogwarts…"

Riley stared at me for a moment before his fingers closed over the vial.

"Yeah," he said quietly. "Ever since Hogwarts."

"Jesse, it was good to be on the same team as you, finally," I said.

Jesse smiled. "I'll always want you on my team, Kingsley. I'm sure I'll run into you again later."

I got up and looked at Zayne. "And you, you cheat," I said, referring to our race yesterday.

"Hey," Zayne said, but his face broke into a grin.

We hugged, and I said, "You know, all those years back when you told me what Meadow Tea was, that's done me a lot of good. After this plant we found, I think it's the next most purifying thing."

Zayne smiled. Then he said to me, "Take care, all right? And if in doubt- cast a Transfiguration spell- you know it'll send everything up in flames."

"Solid advice," I laughed. "I'm sure that's exactly the skill McGonagall wanted us to take away from her class after seven years."

Zayne put his hand over his heart and said, "I'll always have a soft spot for her. I know she was Head of Gryffindor and all, but she did save my eyebrows."


After taking leave of Maudrick's group, I took a train to Poland. As I sat in the train car, I wondered whether Sirius and Remus were all right, and I hoped that both Alice and Frank and Lily and James were doing well with their newborns. I wanted to see them so badly. Especially Harry, since I was supposed to be his godmother. A pang of regret went off in my heart as I remembered a conversation I'd had with Remus.

"Congratulations. I heard Lily and James named you godmother, and Sirius is godfather."

"They shouldn't have."

"Which one? You or Sirius?"

"Both. What horrid choices. It should have been you and Alice. Poor Harry Potter."

I wondered what he looked like, who he'd take after. I wondered about Alice and Frank's baby too, and hoped that Alice's kindness would appear in the baby's face.

As another long hour passed, the rocking carriage put me to sleep.

Regulus was locked in a glass cage of water, and I couldn't get him out, no matter what I did. I screamed his name and sobbed, pounding my fists against the glass. He smiled peacefully at me, trying to reassure me, before his eyes shut forever.

My eyes flashed open as I woke up to a sharp, throbbing pain in my chest.


"Mrs. Kaius."

She rose from her seat and greeted me. "Ms. Kingsley."

Then, a familiar figure stepped out from the room just besides us.

"Jared!"

"Yes, hello," he said, smiling.

"Where is Alexia?"

"Spending some time with her parents," Jared informed me.

"What is it, Ms. Kingsley?" Mrs. Kaius asked me. "Do you require further assistance?"

"No," I said. "Actually, I've come to give what thanks I could." I held out the phial of potion containing the werewolf prevention potion.

Mrs. Kaius' eyes went wide and Jared started.

"Is that…?" Mrs. Kaius whispered. "Can it be that you succeeded with the werewolf mind transformation prevention potion?"

"It's not standardized yet, and I don't know the effects of time on the potion, but taken the day after it was made, it seemed to work," I said.

Mrs. Kaius examined the phial and then said in an awestruck voice, "But how did you solve for the missing ingredient, the incredibly high values needed for purity and luminosity?"

"I found it," I said, and pulled a blue velvet pouch from my cloak. I handed it to Jared, who opened it to behold a lumeare leaf inside.

"I've never seen such a plant," Jared said, amazed.

"I only know of one place where it grows. Perhaps you could plant it here," I suggested.

I handed Mrs. Kaius my mess of Potions papers and said, "The formula's written there, and all of my and Dorcas' research as well."

"Fascinating," Mrs. Kaius said, examining it.

"Why are you giving this to us?" Jared asked.

"It's my thanks," I explained. "I'm giving you the result. I couldn't have done any of it without you."

"You're giving us the rights to this Potion?" Jared repeated hesitantly.

"Nonsense!" Mrs. Kaius said. "This was all your work."

"Hardly," I said. "Besides, even this isn't equal payment for the Sword."

"So please," I continued, "accept it. I ask only that you inform me on the potions' developments over time and to let me take some of your first batch. See, I have a friend who suffers from lycanthropy."

"But of course," Mrs. Kaius said.

"Are you sure?" Jared asked seriously.

"Yes," I said firmly. "Just add Dorcas Meadowes as a contributor, please. She was the one behind all of the calculations."

"She was your friend at Hogwarts, wasn't she? Bookish, witty…" Jared tried to recall.

"That's her," I said, pushing down the fondness and grief that bubbled up within me.

"Where is she now?" Mrs. Kaius asked. "I would very much like to meet her.

"She's not here anymore," I answered quietly.

There was a moment of silence.

"I'm sorry," Jared said, bowing his head.

"What of your friend with lycanthropy?" Mrs. Kaius asked me. "Is this person still alive?"

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes to locate the Unbreakable Vow still flowing in my veins.

"Yes," I said, with certainty. "Yes, he is."

"Very well, then let's finalize this potion as quickly as we can so we can at least aid him," Mrs. Kaius said.


It took just over four months to truly maximize the efficiency of the Potion.

Alexia came as soon as she heard the news, and was absolutely thrilled to join in on the project.

Another friend of the Kaius family, Sir Nicolas Flamel, also became a major contributor in finalizing the potion. He was, amazingly, 654 years old. His face was like a slumbering ocean: creased, but smooth. His eyes were clouded over slightly, but luminous like moonlight. He was the celebrity of alchemy, having discovered the Philosopher's Stone. I was starstruck to meet him, the living proof of alchemic success. His mind contained 654 years of thought. I asked him once if it was a heavy burden to have so much memory. He said he had struggled with it around the 300th year, but learned to deal with it when he was 374. I didn't quite know how to respond to that.

As for a tester, one of the Kaius' good friends, Jasper Riley, was perfectly willing to try out the potions. When he heard I was doing this for a friend, he came to me and said, "You don't know how happy this will make him. That last trial we did, my mind was nearly fully intact. I felt like I could control almost all my actions."

"Thank you for being brave enough to test for us," I replied. "And you're so good-natured about it as well."

"I'm afraid you give me too much credit, seeing as I'm acting on selfish reasons," Jasper said. "It will be a relief to stop losing my mind every month, and to be able to reassure friends and family that I'm not going to hurt them."

Finally, between Mrs. Kaius, Jared, Jasper, and myself, we hit upon a combination that allowed the drinker to retain full clarity and control of their mind. By that point, we had a whole garden of lumeare plants in one of the Kaius' impressive greenhouses.

We rearranged all the papers in order to be able to present it as an academic paper, so that other alchemists could study and follow the thought processes and procedures we went through. We also decided on a name, suggested by Jasper: the Wolfsbane Potion.

Towards the end, Jared refused to write his own name on it, saying that part of his pride as an alchemist hinged on the honesty of his work. Finally, we settled on the code name Damocles, and credited Dorcas Meadowes and Zayne Finnigan in the acknowledgments.


With the project wrapping up, it was time for me to say goodbye. The whole party saw me off at the train. I turned to Jared and said, "You know, I can say this now: I really didn't want to be in that bloody tournament in the first place."

Jared's solemn demeanor cracked and he chuckled.

"But now I'm glad I did," I said. "It's strange to think of how our paths have crossed, but I wouldn't have made it this far without you."

"It's an honor," Jared said, inclining his head. "As always."

"Miss," Jasper said and tipped his hat.

Alexia embraced me warmly. "Please come and visit us again soon," she said.

Finally, I bowed to Mrs. Kaius before boarding the train and heading back to London.


The first thing I did when I got back was to lay flowers at the graves of my parents, Dorcas, and Marlene.

Then, I headed to Grimmauld Place. I entered to find that it was utterly silent. Well, it was until the curtains fell open to reveal a portrait of a stark-mad woman, screaming at me.

"HOW DARE YOU ENTER THE HOUSE OF BLACK WITHOUT PERMISSION!?"

"Clearly I had it, or I wouldn't be able to enter at all," I replied. But whatever words I said were stampeded over by the force of her screaming.

"FILTHY MUDBLOODS AND DIRTY BLOOD TRAITORS! ALL OF THEM! ALL!"

I hesitated and stepped closer to the portrait. "Are you… Sirius' mother?"

"DON'T MENTION HIS NAME! SHAME OF MY FLESH!"

"You should be very proud of both your sons," I said quietly.

"THAT GOOD-FOR-NOTHING BESMIRCHER!"

I flicked my wand and the curtains slammed shut.

I made my way up the stairs until I came to a door titled Sirius' room. I slowly opened the door. The room was musty and clearly hadn't been used in a while. Flamboyant shades of red were everywhere, along with pictures of Muggle girls plastered on the walls. I laughed a bit to myself. Sirius' old Quidditch robes were still hanging in his closet. I grasped its hem briefly before I turned away.

Then, I called out, "Kreacher. I know you're watching. You can come out."

Muttering curses, Kreacher stopped hiding behind the doorway and came into the room.

I knelt down to him. He immediately stepped away from me, still muttering. "You already know, don't you? That Regulus is gone."

Kreacher shut his eyes.

"But his orders still stand. Hide yourself as well as you can, and tell no one of the journey to the lake or anything about me, from my being here to knowing Regulus at all. Do you understand me?"

"Miss is not my Master!" Kreacher hissed. "Miss is only a filthy Mudblood!"

"That's true," I said heavily. "But I was hoping to trust you."

"Miss has her own kind to trust," Kreacher retorted.

"Not with this," I said, and pulled out the Horcrux locket from my inner cloak pocket.

Kreacher's eyes went wide. "Miss obtained it?" he asked, his ears perking up in surprise.

"Yes. With Regulus," I answered. "But I can't destroy it now. Even if I knew how to, I couldn't. I'm afraid Voldemort will feel that he's lost a Horcrux and it's too early for him to pick up our trail. After all, we've no idea how many Horcruxes he's made, or what they might be. But this was Regulus' last wish, his last move. So I want to ask you to keep it safe until the time is right. Can I ask this of you, Kreacher? I know you don't trust me, and I am not your Master. But we shared a friend, didn't we? So please, I leave this in your care." I held out my hand with the Horcrux in it.

Slowly, Kreacher reached out and then snatched it out of my hand. He went right back to mumbling insults, but I knew he had accepted my request.

"And not a word of me to anyone, all right?" I said. Kreacher simply walked off, but I was fairly certain I was safe.


I knew I had to get to Remus, but quite frankly, I was at my breaking point. Jasper had not been the only one with selfish reasons to finish the Wolfsbane Potion. I, also, had whole-heartedly welcomed the distraction. But at night, it was inescapable. Versions of the same nightmare over and over again: Regulus drowning, Regulus burning, Regulus being dragged away by Inferi, Regulus going mad while drinking the potion… I screamed aloud his name and sobbed in my sleep. I'd probably said his name more after he'd passed away than before.

I had put a wreath on his room door in Grimmauld Place, but enchanted it to disappear in a few days' time. Nothing about us can remain. I thought somberly. I traced the engraving of his name with the tip of my finger. We were never meant to be visible, Reg. There can never be proof that we were soulmates, once.

And someday, I'll tell Sirius everything you wanted me to tell him. I don't know how or when, but I will. I swear to you. It's the least I can do.


In disguise, I headed to St. Mungo's, where I found Lancelot Weasley and persuaded him to give me information about how Lily and Alice's birthing had gone. In this way, I found out their birthdays. Neville Longbottom: July 30th. Harry Potter: July 31st. I marveled at the wonderful fact that they had actually come into the world now. Gazing at their birthdates written down on this small piece of paper, I felt my heart expand, and a little of the terrible darkness in my heart lifted.